Shushi City

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Region

Syunik

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Distance from Yerevan

339.7 km

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Type

Monument/Memorial complex

Shushi was founded in 1752 and was granted city status in 1840. It is one of the key cultural and strategic centers of Medieval Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Shushi is located in the Varanda province, on a high plateau which, due to its naturally inaccessible position, served for centuries as a fortress of defense for the local Armenian population. According to historical sources, during the early Middle Ages, the fortress was known as Shikakhar. In the mid-9th century, Prince Sahl Smbatyan achieved a major victory here against Arab invaders, liberating the captured Armenian population. This event made Shushi one of the early centers of the Armenian national liberation struggle. In late medieval sources, Shushi is also mentioned under different names: Karaglukh, Kar, Shoshi Fortress, etc. It is often referred to as Shoshi sghnakh (militia stronghold), as during enemy invasions, residents of the nearby village of Shosh and the Varanda province would take refuge there. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Shoshi Fortress became a vital strategic point in the Armenian liberation movement. It was rebuilt and fortified by Armenian commanders, who are mentioned as the defenders and lords of the fortress. In the 19th century, Shushi developed into a major center of trade, craftsmanship, and culture. It had printing houses, schools, theaters, and became one of the northeastern centers of Armenian culture. The city especially flourished under the Russian Empire, becoming one of the leading cities of the Caucasus.

Interesting

facts about Shushi City

Vanik
fact

Facts

fun-fact1
Shushi has been a strategic center of Armenian liberation efforts since as early as the 9th century, when Prince Sahl Smbatyan defeated the Arab forces, proving the military and political importance of the area for the Armenian people.
fun-fact2
From March 22 to 26, 1920, with the involvement of troops from the Republic of Turkey and support from Turkish and Kurdish groups residing in Artsakh, a massacre of the Armenian population was carried out in the city. As a result of the atrocities, hundreds of Armenian neighborhoods were destroyed, property was looted, and cultural monuments and manuscripts were obliterated. More than 20,000 Armenians were killed, and the entire city was depopulated, turning into silence and ashes.
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Weather in Syunik

The high season in Armenia lasts for a long time due to the pleasant climate conditions. Warm days in Armenia start in March and last until late autumn; winter is usually snowless and not long. The high precipitation season is variable. The tourist season for Shoushi city depends on the weather conditions.

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